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PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania gymnastics team will take off for Normal, Ill. this weekend, as the Quakers face Illinois State for the second time in 2014 on Saturday.

Penn hosted the Redbirds on Jan. 18, in Philadelphia, falling 190.400-187.900. Since the two teams last met, the Quakers have steadily improved, most recently scoring over the 190-mark for the third consecutive meet. Illinois State has also scored over the 190-mark consistently all season, most recently finishing with a 193.200, good enough for fourth in the Illinois Classic.

The Quakers are led on vault by junior Wynne Levy who has recorded a 9.700 and 9.600 her last two times out. Sophomore Emily Paterson has also performed well for Penn on vault, recording a 9.675 two weekends ago at Penn’s ‘Think Pink’ meet.

On bars, Penn saw an individual and team season-high performance of 9.675 by sophomore Amber Hu last weekend in the Ivy Classic at Brown. One of the Quakers’ most consistent performers on the vent, junior Makeda Constable, will look to return to form against the Redbirds after having a tough Ivy Classic.

Penn’s beam scores have been bolstered with the emergence of freshman Kelly Tan and the return of junior Amber Woo to the event. Tan has led Penn’s scoring on the event with two 9.700 routines and a 9.650, while Woo’s has recorded scores of 9.675, 9.700, and 9.625 the past three weekends.

At the Ivy Classic this past weekend, the Quakers saw their best team and individual performance on floor in over a year. The Red and Blue recorded a 48.850 team score, while freshman Rachel Graham’s routine earned her a 9.850, good enough for an individual tie for third-place. Finishing narrowly behind Graham, sophomore Carissa Lim also bested the previous season-high mark on floor, recording a 9.800.

The meet on Saturday is Illinois State’s annual ‘pink’ meet in order to raise awareness for women’s cancer. The meet begins at 5 p.m. Eastern time.